Year-end boom for tourist industry

2009-12-24 (GMT + 7)

Tourism and travel companies are enjoying a boom in foreign tour bookings for the holiday period.

Tran The Dung, deputy director of the The He Tre (Young Generation) Tourism Company, said the number of tourists booking trips abroad since November had increased by 43 per cent on the previous month, and that they had jumped by 10 to 15 per cent year-on-year.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company (Saigontourist) said 7,000 tourists had booked 30 differert tours abroad for Christmas and New Year, 8 per cent higher than last year’s holiday season.

Nguyen Song Dien Ha from the Vietravel Company said more than 2,100 tourists had booked foreign holidays with his company and that he expected about 2,000 holidaymakers to sign up for domestic tours over Christmas and the New Year.

Meanwhile, around 1,000 tourists have booked foreign trips with Ha Noi Redtours Company, up 10-15 per cent on the same period last year.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, Ha Noi Redtour deputy director, said holidaymakers often travelled at this time of year to take a break and shop abroad.

Hong Kong is traditionally the most attractive destination, followed by mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, he said.

Meanwhile, about 150 Vietnamese have chosen to splash out on holidays to South Korea, Japan, Australia and Eastern Europe, 15 per cent higher than last year, he said.

Tour prices this year have also increased by 5-15 per cent because of increases in the price of low-cost air tickets and additional services, he said.

Tourism firms have also seen an increase in the number of domestic bookings over the holiday period. They are hoping that bookings will be up for the celebrations to mark Ha Noi’s 1,000th anniversary and the Da Lat Flower Festival next year.